Audra Hernández

Dr. Audra K. Hernández is the Director of the UW-Madison Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. As a first-generation college graduate and Chicana scientist, she is passionate about increasing the number of first-generation and low-income students who pursue Ph.D. careers. Dr. Hernández earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Florida and joined UW-Madison in 2011 as a Postdoctoral Researcher, later becoming an Assistant Research Scientist. Her research focused on the physical conditions and formation of star-forming clouds within the Milky Way. Driven by a commitment to student success, she began dedicating her efforts to student support programs. From 2014 to 2018, she volunteered with the McNair program as a STEM Professional Advisor and directed the Astrophysics REU program from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, she shifted her career to full-time student support as the McNair Program Director. In her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling, spending time with her cat (Luna), and sharing coffee with friends and family.